By Paul Homewood

 

h/t It does not add up

China has hinted that a trade war with the U.S. could lead to real war with a coded warning as it threatens to stop exporting essential ‘rare earth’ minerals.

A commentary in People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of China‘s ruling Communist Party, today said ‘Don’t say we didn’t warn you!’ – which is a diplomatic term usually reserved by Beijing to signal the start of an armed warfare.  

China yesterday said it is ‘seriously considering’ restricting exports to the United States of rare earths, 17 chemical elements used in hospital scanners, nuclear power stations and LED lights.

China accounted for 80 per cent of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 to the United States.

 

The People’s Daily column today again hinted that China will use the natural resources to pressure Donald Trump in the trade war.

‘Will rare earths become China’s counter weapon against the unreasonable crackdown from the U.S.? The answer is not profound,’ it said.

The article then went on: ‘American companies have particularly high demand for rare earth products.

‘At present, some people from the U.S. side are indeed fantasising about obtaining resources independently, but it’s unarguable that the U.S. depends highly on the global supply chain. 

‘Without doubt, the U.S. wants to use the products made with the rare earths imported from China to suppress China’s development. Chinese people must not agree,’ it continued. 

The newspaper also stressed that China would prioritise its domestic demand on rare earth elements, which it billed as the ‘vitamin for industries’.

President Xi Jinping visited a rare earth company in southern China last week, state media reported, lifting the shares of producers on speculation that this indicated Beijing was considering using the chemicals in the U.S. trade war.

 

.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7082011/Dont-say-didnt-warn-China-uses-code-word-WAR-threaten-U-S-rare-earths.html

 

Of course, it is not only rare earths that can be used to hold the west hostage. China also has a near monopoly the world supplies of cobalt via its holdings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 

Forget all the nonsense about trade wars and Trump. If we allow ourselves to become so reliant on China for vital supplies, these sort of threats will be used against us over and over again.

via NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

http://bit.ly/2HIQoH6

May 29, 2019 at 11:51AM